1. Field of the Invention
This invention lies in the field of barrier light assemblies.
2. Prior Art
Heretofore, in the art of barrier light assemblies, a lens assembly utilizing a pair of molded clear plastic lens halves was fabricated with an aperture in a side edge. In the body of the lens assembly adjacent to and extending about aperture a first large metal ring was situated. To mount this lens assembly to a supporting case member, a second large metal ring was located about an upper access hole in the case member and screws were extended axially relative to the access hole through the second ring and threadably engaged with the first ring.
This arrangement suffered from certain disadvantages. For one thing, during assembly, alignment problems arose not only in properly locating the first ring in the lens assembly but also in properly locating the second ring in the case member and in positioning the individual retaining screws between the first and second rings. Considerable time in manufacture was used in these locating, aligning, and positioning efforts which was, of course, undesirable because of adding to manufacturing costs.
For another thing, under actual field use conditions, a barrier light assembly has to be occasionally overhauled, disassembled, and reassembled. Typically, the metal components (e.g., the rings and the screws) become corroded and are difficult if not even impossible to take apart. Even if such metal components are removable, then such must be reassembled (preferably using new replacement parts), and the reassembly operation inherently and necessarily involves the same troublesome locating and aligning efforts above described which can substantially add to the cost of barrier light maintenance. Indeed, the duty life of a prior art barrier light is, practically speaking, shortened unnecessarily because of the time and assembly problems associated with this prior art arrangement.
The art needs a new and improved barrier light assembly wherein the foregoing problems are eliminated.